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It has not the best of weather in early December, but on one of the better days Ann and I take the dogs for a walk to Cogra Moss

on the other side of Blake Fell, a great walk . . . and we have a calendar to deliver to Lamplugh afterwards. 

Walk plans change as we find others using the track ahead of us.

Our first view of Cogra Moss Reservoir, seen from the track that has brought us up from Felldyke.

There's a good flow of water over the outflow

but also the workmen are around and working on the reservoir structure.

The diggers are out and they are doing some serious earthworks.

They are laying a new pipeline system over the dam to upgrade the emergency sluice system

which enables the Water Authority to drain the lake should there ever be a problem with the earth structure.

The reservoir has been saved for recreational use, but is no longer used to supply drinking water.

The new twin pipes would siphon out the water should it ever be need to be done.

The old system apparently has become silted up and no longer works.

Despite the fact that we could have walked on along the lakeside if we had waited, we passed on continuing our walk

and headed back to the start . . . taking care to avoid the mud and the site construction traffic along the way.

- - - o o o - - -

We called down to see a friend  and Loweswatercam viewer Fletcher, in order to deliver him a copy of   our 2019 Calendar. Flec is housebound with Motor Neuron disease but keeps himself busy and enjoys his life, fully assisted by his wife and carers. He works his computer with a couple of neat sensors and a head set device . . . impressive. The Christmas lights are in his garden . . . photographed by my old phone !

- - - o o o - - -

With such a short walk and few photos from this walk, it gives me opportunity

to tell the story of the Fall and Rise of High Nook Bridge here in Loweswater.

High Nook Farm is situated above the lake of Loweswater and below the northern slopes of Blake Fell.

This is Mellbreak seen from the track up towards the farm.

This set of photos span twelve months from last December to this.

A flash flood a few years back changed the route of the river, which over time has developed into a mature river bed.

In late Autumn last year another flood undermined the foundation of the bridge below the farm.

It was declared unsafe and was closed for farm traffic and walkers.

Once the planning had been done, and the fish breeding season over, it was time to re-build.

A temporary bridge had been put in place . . . it looks like an ex-army folding bridge.

The work started to remove the old structure.

Pipes guided the water . . .	safely under the old roadway . . .	. . . and out the other side.

By August there was serious work in progress.

New bridge supports have been constructed inside the wooden shuttering.

The green bags are holding the pipes safely in place.

The steel work has arrived . . . and the pipes gone.

Work has progressed well on building the new bridge and its supporting walls.

By October the bridge was open for traffic.

The temporary bridge has gone and only the landscaping work remained.

Time to rebuild a few fences and gates on either side.

The Great Wall of  . . . High Nook.

The extended nature of the wall will protect the bridge structure should another flash flood pass this way.

Any excess water that couldn't make it under the bridge would be guided well away from the bridge and down across the fields.

The matting was the final landscaping feature

to allow the re-seeded soil chance to mature and not be washed into the river by any rain.

It looks rather modern with a square arch and no stone lintels

but it has been constructed with a thin stainless steel plate supporting the pebble rendering.

The "Old Coffin Route" is open for walkers (and farmers) once again . . . you've even  got a top handrail to help you up the slope.

The final part of the saga was that a new gate and an alternative access track has had to be created down in the bottom fields.

It joins the farm track directly to the Maggie's Bridge car park as one the heavy lorries that used the route over the 'farm' bridge

managed to crack a road slab. 

An alternative heavy duty access was needed, presumably for when they have to repair that bridge . . . Oh well . . . life goes on !